Thread Rating:
  • 4 Vote(s) - 5 Average
  • 1
  • 2
  • 3
  • 4
  • 5
Calling all armchair generals! Boudica's Last Stand.
Quote:Is there evidence to indicate a connection between Alchester and the 20th?

Strangely, I thought it was your idea! It was probably a suggestion buried somewhere in the back pages of this thread... Maybe just a process of elimination: if Alchester was occupied at this time, the 20th might be the best candidates for the garrison.



Quote:as far as I recall, I have offered the same explanations before.

You did, although I was never too keen on the idea of the rebels going off to attack other 'pro-Roman' Britons. It's perfectly plausible, but they could more easily have taken the westward route via Staines against Cogidubnus if that was their intention.



Quote:if they had intended to return home via Watling Street and the Icknield Way... they may have felt that they could not leave a substantial Roman force in their rear.

I like this idea better though!

The site at Tring is about 23 miles from Alchester on Akeman Street - a good day's march for either a Roman force going to reinforce Paulinus, or Paulinus himself returning east to a battle site. It's about 15 miles from St Albans in the other direction, a not-impossible distance for the rebel army to cover in a day and then camp in the vicinity of Tring itself.

The valley site is about 800 metres wide, I estimate, at the best point for the Roman position. From there, it's around 1.4 kilometers, or just under a mile, to the line of Akeman Street at the western edge of Tring, where the Britons could have placed their wagons. If the Roman camp was up on the ridge around Chivery, it would about the same distance behind their position.

The site itself appears to fit Tacitus's description perfectly - a steep-sided defile with woods to the rear (and on both sides, in fact) and a plain in front. If we can assume that the rebel force at St Albans had some reason (or a combination of them?) for moving up the Bulbourne valley towards Tring, the battle could well have happened here.

However, I'm still wary of the possibilities of an outflanking move from the east and north-east, leaving the Romans stuck in their defile with no route of retreat. Although I recall your good point about Paulinus ensuring there were no enemies to his rear, I still think that such a famously clever and cautious general may not have wanted to risk having his force surrounded and trapped.
Nathan Ross
Reply


Messages In This Thread
Re: Calling all armchair generals! - by Ensifer - 03-11-2010, 03:13 PM
Re: Calling all armchair generals! Boudica\'s Last Stand. - by Steve Kaye - 02-18-2012, 06:26 PM
Re: Calling all armchair generals! Boudica\'s Last Stand. - by Steve Kaye - 02-19-2012, 12:02 AM
Re: Calling all armchair generals! Boudica\'s Last Stand. - by Steve Kaye - 02-19-2012, 02:50 PM
Re: Calling all armchair generals! Boudica\'s Last Stand. - by Steve Kaye - 02-19-2012, 05:40 PM
Re: Calling all armchair generals! Boudica\'s Last Stand. - by Steve Kaye - 02-19-2012, 11:26 PM
Re: Calling all armchair generals! Boudica\'s Last Stand. - by Steve Kaye - 04-24-2012, 05:11 PM
Re: Calling all armchair generals! Boudica\'s Last Stand. - by Steve Kaye - 04-24-2012, 09:42 PM
Re: Calling all armchair generals! Boudica\'s Last Stand. - by Steve Kaye - 04-24-2012, 10:10 PM
Re: Calling all armchair generals! Boudica\'s Last Stand. - by Steve Kaye - 04-25-2012, 03:11 PM
Re: Calling all armchair generals! Boudica\'s Last Stand. - by Steve Kaye - 04-25-2012, 03:25 PM
Re: Calling all armchair generals! Boudica\'s Last Stand. - by Steve Kaye - 04-25-2012, 08:36 PM
Re: Calling all armchair generals! Boudica\'s Last Stand. - by Steve Kaye - 04-26-2012, 02:57 PM
Re: Calling all armchair generals! Boudica\'s Last Stand. - by Steve Kaye - 04-27-2012, 01:50 PM
Re: Calling all armchair generals! Boudica\'s Last Stand. - by Steve Kaye - 08-05-2012, 02:24 PM
Calling all armchair generals! Boudica\'s Last Stand. - by antiochus - 11-07-2014, 02:18 PM
Calling all armchair generals! Boudica\'s Last Stand. - by antiochus - 11-08-2014, 01:50 AM
Calling all armchair generals! Boudica\'s Last Stand. - by antiochus - 11-11-2014, 02:03 AM
Calling all armchair generals! Boudica\'s Last Stand. - by antiochus - 11-18-2014, 07:54 AM
Calling all armchair generals! Boudica\'s Last Stand. - by antiochus - 11-20-2014, 02:37 AM
Calling all armchair generals! Boudica\'s Last Stand. - by antiochus - 11-25-2014, 08:29 AM
Calling all armchair generals! Boudica\'s Last Stand. - by Nathan Ross - 03-09-2015, 11:44 PM

Possibly Related Threads…
Thread Author Replies Views Last Post
  Armchair Wall walking mcbishop 3 3,480 01-11-2012, 03:22 AM
Last Post: Vindex

Forum Jump: